How much do schools really weigh extreme upward GPA trends? Forum

[EricDelgado]

My first year in college was a complete disaster. I rarely showed up to class and spent more time partying than studying. I left my first school after 2 semesters with a GPA around 1.6. I took a couple of semester off and began working full time for UPS. During this time I realized that wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. I decided to get back into school and went to a community college for two years. I then transferred into a 4 year college where I am completing my studies this year. My main issue is my GPA. I have a 1.6 from the first school and a significant upward trend (My GPA at my current institution is a 3.8 ). On my CAS report I have a cumulative GPA of 3.05 and a degree GPA of 3.64.

I am struggling with where to place schools as far as safety, target, reach, etc. I've been looking at GPA medians and LSAT medians and I really don't know where to place myself. A school like Fordham is an example. I took my LSAT this past Saturday but I am expecting to be between 25% and median for Fordham in terms of LSAT. If I scored in the 25% would Fordham be out of the question? I'm not exactly sure how much schools actually weigh these upward trends. Any advice or stories from students who've experienced this is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[malleus discentium]

They'll look at your GPA as a 3.05.

[HYPSM]

.

[ArtistOfManliness]

Failed out of undergrad after freshman year (sub-1 GPA). Went to HYS. Median LSAT with a well-below 25th percentile GPA for HYS. Post-freshman year: 75th percentile. So, an upward trend matters... Or I am just that special of a snowflake.

But, on the other hand, the two above posters aren't all wrong: they correctly copied you and said that your GPA is 3.05.

[Lexaholik]

Like everyone else said, your GPA will be considered a 3.05. But on the plus side, it'll be looked at more favorably than other people who also have a 3.05. So, I guess, 3.05+.

With a 25 percentile LSAT for Fordham, you're probably not going to get in. The good news is, if you buckle down and prep hard for the LSAT (and even take an extra year off) you can get into some pretty amazing programs. The minimum GPA for Top 14 schools is in the high 2s. The minimum GPA for Top 25 schools is in the mid 2s. You'll need a monster LSAT but having a 3.05 isn't the disaster you might think it is.

[appind]

Failed out of undergrad after freshman year (sub-1 GPA). Went to HYS. Median LSAT with a well-below 25th percentile GPA for HYS. Post-freshman year: 75th percentile. So, an upward trend matters... Or I am just that special of a snowflake.

But, on the other hand, the two above posters aren't all wrong: they correctly copied you and said that your GPA is 3.05.

Did you have any soft factor or URM status affecting admission? Lsac gpa?

[PDX4343]

Like everyone else said, your GPA will be considered a 3.05. But on the plus side, it'll be looked at more favorably than other people who also have a 3.05. So, I guess, 3.05+.

With a 25 percentile LSAT for Fordham, you're probably not going to get in. The good news is, if you buckle down and prep hard for the LSAT (and even take an extra year off) you can get into some pretty amazing programs. The minimum GPA for Top 14 schools is in the high 2s. The minimum GPA for Top 25 schools is in the mid 2s. You'll need a monster LSAT but having a 3.05 isn't the disaster you might think it is.

FWIW I can vouch for this. I've been admitted to UVA, GULC, and got $$ to GW so far this cycle, and I also have a 3.05. My LSAT is 173, so if you really buckle down you can still have some great options. Good luck!

[townizm]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

[cavalier1138]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

What?

I don't think that it makes a difference either way, but I have no idea what kind of warped logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that an upward GPA trend is worse than a downward GPA trend.

[jjcorvino]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

What?

I don't think that it makes a difference either way, but I have no idea what kind of warped logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that an upward GPA trend is worse than a downward GPA trend.

Town is saying that a GPA bump of just .01 is better than any sort of trends.

[townizm]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

What?

I don't think that it makes a difference either way, but I have no idea what kind of warped logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that an upward GPA trend is worse than a downward GPA trend.

It's a number game. My warped logic is any kind of 3.06 is better than 3.05.

[cavalier1138]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

What?

I don't think that it makes a difference either way, but I have no idea what kind of warped logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that an upward GPA trend is worse than a downward GPA trend.

It's a number game. My warped logic is any kind of 3.06 is better than 3.05.

Ah, I had assumed there was just a typo, because nobody actually gives weight to a .01 difference in GPA, regardless of trend.

[AJordan]

People with great numbers only really need to avoid giving the admissions folks a reason to reject them. You need to focus on giving them a reason to accept you. So that's your issue. Your best chance to give an office a reason to admit you is a high LSAT score. Except for HYS, If you're over a school's 75th LSAT they're very likely to look at your whole app. Even then you're going to be in worse shape than folks with >median in both LSAT and GPA but you're at least giving them something to think about. With numbers <25 in both LSAT and GPA it really doesn't matter much what softs you have in your packet. Maybe a recommendation from the president of the alumni association or something like that. Barring that you really should focus all your efforts on a 168 if you want Fordham.

[ArtistOfManliness]

Failed out of undergrad after freshman year (sub-1 GPA). Went to HYS. Median LSAT with a well-below 25th percentile GPA for HYS. Post-freshman year: 75th percentile. So, an upward trend matters... Or I am just that special of a snowflake.

But, on the other hand, the two above posters aren't all wrong: they correctly copied you and said that your GPA is 3.05.

Did you have any soft factor or URM status affecting admission? Lsac gpa?

nope.

3.65, i think?

[bearedman8]

I think it would be slightly worse than downward 3.06, unfortunately.

What?

I don't think that it makes a difference either way, but I have no idea what kind of warped logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that an upward GPA trend is worse than a downward GPA trend.

It's a number game. My warped logic is any kind of 3.06 is better than 3.05.

If a 3.05 and a 3.06 are both below a school's median, then the 3.05 with an extreme upward trend will preferred, all else equal. They're both still below median, though, and that's what matters most.